Reserve officer fired for carrying gun at school

The reserve officer believes he has the right to carry but the Superintendent says the school board must approve

By PoliceOne Staff

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. — A grounds keeper for a Concord school who also works as a reserve officer has been fired for carrying a gun while working at the school.

It was the day that Rick Ball got into a car accident that his boss discovered he carried a firearm on him and reported it to the school Superintendent, according to WSBT.

“I feel like I’ve done nothing wrong,” Ball said after Superintendent Wayne Stubbs told him he would be fired or forced to resign. “If a situation would arise where we have an active shooter or something, we have to be prepared because I’m required to go in and help take care of it,” he explained, saying he’s been trained for active shooter situations.

Stubbs says he allows law enforcement to be armed on school grounds once it’s been approved by the school board.

“I think the bottom line is, there’s a process to go through,” said Stubbs. “That process was not done. He’s not hired by Concord Community Schools as a police officer. He was hired as a building and grounds employee. We have a resource officer that’s hired for that position.”